Assembly Election highlights: ECI appoints Sandeep Rai Rathore to head Tamil Nadu police

The Election Commission of India (ECI) today appointed Director-General of Police (DGP) Sandeep Rai Rathore to head the Tamil Nadu police force replacing G. Venkatraman, the in-charge DGP/Head of the Police Force (HoPF).

The ECI said the order would take immediate effect and the officer transferred out shall not be posted in any election related posts till the completion of elections.

The ECI also appointed Additional Director General of Police Sanjay Kumar, a 1997-batch IPS officer, as the Commissioner of Police, Tambaram. He replaces A. Amalraj.

Abhishek Dixit was posted as Commissioner of Police, Madurai, and R V Ramya Bharti posted as Inspector-General of Police, West Zone.

- S. Vijay Kumar

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BJP candidate from Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, Suvendu Adhikari, filed his nomination for the West Bengal elections on April 2, 2026.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP West Bengal President Samik Bhattacharya were seen accompanying Mr. Adhikari during the process.

Mr. Adhikari is contesting the two-phase West Bengal Assembly polls on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket from Bhabanipur and Nandigram constituencies. This time, the West Bengal elections will see a face-off between Mr. Adhikari and Trinamool Congress Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the Bhabanipur seat, while Mr. Adhikari will also try to retain Nandigram.

Ms. Banerjee lost the Nandigram seat in the 2021 Assembly elections against Mr. Adhikari, but later secured victory in the Bhabanipur bye-election against Priyanka Tibrewal. — ANI

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay flayed both the Centre and the State governments on the LPG cylinder shortage and said both the governments could have averted the crisis had they planned ahead and regulated.

“Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin air dashes to Delhi if there’s a raid or some issue in the family. Has he rushed to the national capital to resolve the LPG cylinder crisis?” Mr. Vijay asked and said the unpreparedness has led to a shortage of gas cylinders, leading to the closure of tea shops and even hotels.

“This has caused hardship and losses to many. Had they been vigilant and taken precaution then the crisis would not have escalated. Both are responsible for this,” he said.

In a lighter vein, he remarked, if one asked “Stalin sir” about this crisis, he would say it has no connection whatsoever. “But if there’s a raid or problem in his house, then he would fly to Delhi,” Mr. Vijay said, and the crowd cheered at the remark.

He appealed to the people not to believe the DMK or BJP as both were on the same page. These parties should be rejected. People should support the TVK by giving it a chance, he said at the poll campaign in T.N. — PTI

Mounting a scathing attack on the ruling DMK dispensation, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay accused the DMK of forming “cash box alliance” (gallapetti kootani) and “illegitimate ties with others” and was opposing him.

It made several promises in the 2021 Assembly election, including a gas cylinder subsidy of ₹100, MSP of ₹4,000 to sugarcane farmers, one kg sugar extra and urid dal to the people through the fair price shops and even assured to abolish NEET. The Chief Minister made promises that he could not fulfill and thereby deceived the people, Mr. Vijay alleged and labelled the government as “useless and corrupt.” The DMK was getting geared up with its next set of false promises, he added. He would not make false promises or deceive the people, but would act according to people’s needs.

“As I have been saying, the poll battle is only between TVK and DMK. Our primary focus will be education, ration, health, drinking water, amenities including improving amenities in government-run schools, and transportation,” he said and recalled the TVK’s poll assurances of six free LPG cylinders to women, one sovereign gold and a silk saree to young women for their marriage, among other election assurances.

In Tiruchirappalli, a DMK Minister was involved in cash for jobs scam and the amount accounted to a staggering ₹1,000 crores in the municipal administration department alone. “Imagine the size of the amount from other departments. What shall we do to this DMK government for the job scam, lack of safety and amenities in the State? Shall we throw it out?” he asked and the crowd replied with a loud “yes”. He claimed that “Stalin Sir Tax - SST - was levied and it was similar to GST”. “We will be hundred per cent fair in administration and deliver our promises. You can trust me. Give me a chance [to form the government],” Mr. Vijay appealed. — PTI

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay on April 2, 2026, alleged joint machination and conspiracy in the tragic stampede in Karur and also in the release of his final film ‘Jananayagan,’ and said that he too wanted justice in the Karur incident.

The tragic stampede left 41 people dead and several injured at a rally addressed by the actor-politician on September 27, 2025.

Addressing an election rally after filing his nomination papers from Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency, Mr. Vijay said, as many have been insisting, the Karur incident was “a joint machination.” “I, who have come to ask justice for you, also want justice,” the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief said and also claimed a conspiracy over the release of his last film Jananayagan. — PTI

​The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) recently released its third and final list of candidates​ for the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

The party, which is heading the alliance, has retained the bulk of the constituencies which it had won in the 2021 Assembly election.

Of the 234 Assembly constituencies in the State, the AIADMK will contest in 167 constituencies, while the remaining seats have been allotted to its alliance partners

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In continuing crackdown on the movement of unaccounted cash and prohibited items ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, an election flying squad intercepted and inspected the vehicle of DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi in Sivaganga district.

The Deputy General Secretary of the DMK was on her way to attend a series of campaign meetings in the region when her convoy was stopped at a designated check post by the Flying Squad Team (FST) and Static Surveillance Team (SST) personnel.

The team conducted a thorough search of the Member of Parliament’s vehicle and other cars in her entourage, said sources. Visuals of the incident showed the officials checking the trunk and baggage within the vehicle as the DMK leader waited.

The search comes amid heightened vigilance by the Election Commission across the State. Earlier this week, a similar check was performed on the vehicle of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on the Tiruchi-Nagapattinam highway.

With the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, the Election Commission has deployed hundreds of flying squads to monitor high-profile leaders and prevent any violation of electoral laws. — PTI

Ms. Priyanka, speaking at a corner meeting in Puthanthopu in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the Congress-led UDF poll campaign for the Kerala Assembly elections, accused the LDF and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of being Mr. Modi’s “B-team”.

“Think about it. Name one leader who has stood up and expressed himself or herself against Narendra Modi and not been attacked either by the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax department, the CBI or his other agencies,” she said.

She also charged the Left government with providing people of the State with less and less opportunities the more it was in power.

The Congress leader also accused the Left government of being “negligent” towards the needs and problems of the people of the State.

She further claimed that the health system in Kerala was crumbling as there was a shortage of staff, medical equipment and medicines in government-run hospitals. — PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on April 2, 2026, released the party’s manifesto for the Assam Assembly elections, with a focus on 11 sectors such as governance, identity and healthcare.

At an election rally in Bokojan, Mr. Gandhi, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and other senior leaders unveiled the party manifesto.

The 11 resolutions spread across areas like governance, identity, healthcare, infrastructure development, industrialisation, agriculture, rural and urban development, climate change and secured Assam.

The Congress had already released “five guarantees” on March 29 during the visit of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

Polling for the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on April 9, while the results will be declared on May 4. — PTI

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi made a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of being a “coward” who handed over the energy security of the country to the U.S. and signed a trade deal “unfair” to farmers to protect himself as his “name figures in the Epstein files”.

Ms. Priyanka, speaking at a corner meeting in Puthanthopu in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the Congress-led UDF poll campaign for the Kerala Assembly elections, alleged that Mr. Modi “bowed down” before the U.S. and Israel in connection with the West Asia conflict and as a result created a situation where India will also suffer along with other nations.

“Our PM is a coward who has no spine and is compromised. We are paying every day because he does not have the guts to stand up for India. We are also paying every day as his name is in the Epstein files and he wants to protect himself,” she alleged.

She also alleged that Mr. Modi’s policies have not provided safety and security to Indians stranded in Gulf region during the conflict there. — PTI

With chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘BJP zindabad’ reverberating through the lanes of Bhabanipur, the BJP on Thursday (April 2, 2026) transformed Suvendu Adhikari’s nomination filing into a saffron show of strength in the very constituency that has long been Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s political fortress.

Mr. Adhikari was accompanied by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and state party president Samik Bhattacharya and other leaders.

Standing atop an open-hood, flower-decked truck fitted with giant BJP cut-outs and lotus symbols, Shah waved to cheering supporters as the convoy rolled out from Hazra crossing, amid tight security and a shower of flower petals from terraces and balconies.

If Bhabanipur is Mamata Banerjee’s backyard, the BJP on Thursday sought to breach it with drums, slogans and a direct political challenge.

- PTI

The Supreme Court on Thursday (April 2, 2026) came down heavily on the West Bengal administration for their alleged inaction over the “deplorable” gherao and attack on seven judicial officers in Malda district during the SIR drive and ordered an independent probe by the CBI or NIA.

In a scathing indictment of the state administration, the top court said the incident “also exposes complete failure of the state administration” and observed that West Bengal is the “most polarised state”.

The court asked the Election Commission to “requisition adequate Central Forces and deploy them at all places where judicial officers are adjudicating the objections” in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in the poll-bound State.

- PTI

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (April 2, 2026) blamed the Election Commission for “failing to protect” judicial officers engaged in the SIR exercise in West Bengal’s Malda district and demanded Union Home Minister’s resignation over the large-scale transfer of officers in the State.

Seven judicial officers engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) were rescued by security forces after protesters gheraoed them for several hours on Wednesday over the deletion of names from the electoral rolls.

“I condemn the Election Commission for failing to protect the judicial officers,” Ms. Banerjee said, addressing an election rally here in Murshidabad district.

- PTI

Minister S. Muthusamy filing his nomination paper with the Returning Officer for the Erode (West) constituency in Erode, Tamil Nadu on Thursday (April 2, 2026).

Photo: Govarthan M.

Tamil Nadu BSP chief and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar (reserved) constituency candidate Porkodi Armstrong filing her nomination papers to Returning officer at Zone 6 office in Chennai on Thursday. 

Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Opening his campaign speech, TVK leader Vijay asked the audience whether the gas cylinder shortage was affecting their daily lives, and if bookings were going through.

Referring to disruptions caused by the issue, he said tea shops and hotels had been forced to shut, leading to losses. “If those in power had acted responsibly, this situation could have been managed,” he said, blaming both the DMK and the BJP.

Taking a swipe at Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Mr. Vijay said the government continued to claim that there was “no problem” on the ground. “For a gas cylinder issue, the Chief Minister can fly to Delhi. But otherwise, he acts only when there is a raid on them,” he alleged.

- M. Nacchinarkkiniyan

TVK leader Vijay on Thursday (April 2, 2026) alleged that there was “no difference” between the DMK and the BJP, claiming the two parties were in an “indirect alliance.”

Criticising the Congress, he said the DMK had aligned with what he termed “some cash-rich leaders” in the party to form one front. “On the other side, the BJP-led ‘Matrum Palar Koottani,’ a half-saffron alliance, is also indirectly aligned with the DMK,” he alleged.

“Do not trust the DMK or the BJP. If you vote for either, remember they are the same,” Mr. Vijay said.

Pitching for his party, he added, “If you vote for TVK, Tamil Nadu will prosper.”

Urging voters to turn out in large numbers on April 23, Mr. Vijay appealed to them to cast their vote for the party’s ‘visil’ (whistle) symbol and encourage their family members to do the same.

“I have left behind a life of comfort and taken on this path with hardship. I will never betray you,” he said.

- M. Nacchinarkkiniyan

Breaking his silence on the Janayagan controversy, TVK leader Vijay said the apprehension around the film stemmed from fears that it could influence the election.

“Janayagan is my last film. They are worried it may become a powerful tool in this election. It would strengthen the deep bond I have with you all. I am not asking justice just for the people, but for myself as well in this electoral process,” he said.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay files nomination for Tiruchi East; he has already filed his papers for the Perambur constituency in Chennai.

- M. Nacchinarkkiniyan

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (April 2, 2026) said that there is “no dearth of fuel or gas in the country” and India was ready to deal with any energy crisis resulting from the West Asia conflict.

Mr. Singh, speaking at a Sainik Samman Sammelan in poll-bound Kerala, said that Indian Navy ships were safely escorting the country’s tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Defence Minister further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was using his diplomatic skills to protect Indian interests in the Gulf region.

- PTI

“Congress believes in decentralisation; the BJP is trying to run Assam from Delhi,” said Congress leader and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi at a poll rally in Bokajan. “Congress will implement the Constitutional provision fully, Karbi Anglong to be governed by locals, not by Guwahati or Delhi.”

“India’s most corrupt CM is Himanta Biswa Sarma, action to be taken against him once Congress forms government in Assam,” he said. 

Remarking on the India-U.S. trade, Mr. Gandhi said that the deal is a loss for India. “Trump controls Narendra Modi,” he said.

- PTI

TVK chief Vijay gets down from his vehicle to make enquiries after a two-wheeler rider meets with a minor accident near Melapudur on his way to file nominations for the Tiruchi East constituency. 

Two people have fainted so far, and visuals show many women suffocated by the crowd.

As crowds gather, organisers have asked the cadre not to blow whistles -- the TVK symbol -- as Class 10 exams are going on in the school adjacent to Vijay’s campaign spot at Marakkadai. 

- M. Nacchinarkkiniyan, Iniyan

Photo: M. Nacchinarkkiniyan

The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala on Thursday (April 2, 2026) released its manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections, outlining a 60-point programme containing 950 proposals to create a ‘Nava Kerala’ (New Kerala), while seeking a mandate to continue the ongoing development works.

The Congress-led Opposition United Democratic Front’s (UDF) manifesto for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections released in Kochi on Thursday (April 2, 2026) promises five ‘Indira guarantees’ and five “dream projects” focussing on maritime, aviation sectors and a Tribal University in Wayanad.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin filed his nomination paper for Chepauk Assembly constituency at Ice House on Thursday (April 2, 2026).

Photo: Ragu R.

A large number of cadres throng the roads to catch a glimpse of TVK leader Vijay as he heads to file his nomination for Tiruchi East constituency from the airport on Thursday (April 2, 2026). No official permission had been granted for the roadshow.

- M. Nacchinarkkiniyan

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will participate in BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s nomination filing from the Bhabanipur assembly constituency in the city and accompany him during a roadshow in the area on Thursday (April 2, 2026), party leaders said.

Mr. Shah will join Mr. Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, in a show of strength in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s political bastion.

According to BJP leaders, Mr. Shah and Mr. Adhikari will begin a roadshow from Hazra Crossing around noon. The party’s state president Samik Bhattacharya will also accompany them.

- PTI

If the results of the local body elections held a few months ago are any indication, a subtle but significant shift in minority votes, particularly among Muslims in Malabar, appears to favour the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the April 9 Kerala Assembly elections. While election observers do not anticipate a sweeping mandate, the political mindset of the Muslim community shows a perceptible drift away from the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

The CPI(M), which leads the LDF, has carefully directed its attacks at the Jamaat-e-Islami while avoiding mention of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). Yet, a vast majority of the Muslim community remains outside the central political narratives, leaving many voices politically unrepresented.

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